Eight people injured in St. Jean crashes

Police say around 10:30 p.m. Sunday the driver of a black pickup truck heading east on Route 104 veered into oncoming traffic and rammed into a Toyota Yaris.

Moments later a red pickup truck heading west hit the crashed vehicles and bounced into a ditch.

Emergency crews rushed to the crash, between 4th Trail and Kemp Trail, but needed more than an hour to pry two female passengers, 49 and 69, from the small car. One of those women was taken to Montreal General Hospital in critical condition, while the other was taken to another nearby hospital.

"We are lucky in a way that it was two large vehicles, for the passengers in those vehicles they were not badly hurt, because when looking at the impact it could have been much worse," said Const. Martin Anctil of St. Jean sur Richelieu police.

"On the other hand, it was not lucky for the people in the small car, because it was two large vehicles that crushed that small car."

The driver of the black pickup truck, who had two children in his vehicle, was tested for alcohol at the scene. Police are not yet sure if he was tired or distracted moments before the collision.

The red pickup truck was also carrying a man with two children.

Those who were not taken to hospital were treated by paramedics for relatively minor injuries.